


The Girl In The Red Dress (18+)

by ThorneKate



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BDSM Scenes, BDSM elements, Bottom Tom Riddle, Dolores Umbridge is Her Own Warning, Draco Malfoy Has a Crush on Harry Potter, Dumbledore lied about Harry's death, F/M, Frank and Alice raise Neville like they should have, Fred Weasley Lives, Good Death Eaters, Good Tom Riddle, Hermione gets Viktor, Lucius Malfoy has a heart, Luna and Tom acting like siblings, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Manipulative Molly Weasley, Molly Weasley Bashing, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Ron Weasley Bashing, Ron Weasley is a dick, SO MUCH FLUFF, Severus Snape Lives, Severus Snape Needs a Hug, Severus Snape moves on like a normal adult, Tom Riddle is Not Voldemort, Tom Riddle is submissive, Tom is a Sweetheart, Tom riddle is a dad, so much hurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:08:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29837205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThorneKate/pseuds/ThorneKate
Summary: Melody Evans, middle sister between Petunia and Lily, was a lioness among snakes. Never fitting in with her housemates apart from her sister and her friends, finds her home with the school’s most hated. With friends like Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa and Bellatrix Black, Severus Snape, and Regulus Black, what more could a girl ask for?Fate has a funny way of showing her just what she never knew she was missing in the most unexpected of ways.The first war stole her fiance, her sister, her brother-in-law, and her nephew. Or so she thought. She and her daughter struggle to navigate life after losing her love, and find themselves more often than not, leaning on Lucius and Cissa for support during this time. But as yet another war is looming on the horizon, his return changes everything. Lies are revealed, trust is lost and found again, and more than one relationship is saved.Can they stand the test of life or will they bend to its will?
Relationships: Cedric Diggory/Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Hermione Granger/Viktor Krum, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Tom Riddle/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 7





	The Girl In The Red Dress (18+)

**Author's Note:**

> There will be multiple BDSM scenes, references, and elements throughout this book. Read at your own discretion.

What started out as a stupid bet, spiraled into the best decision of my life.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let's take this back to where it all started…

  
  
  


**Hogwarts, Near the End of Year 6**

**Gryffindor vs Slytherin for the House Cup**

  
  
  


_"How about a little bet, Evans?"_ Malfoy smirked at me as he proposed a compromise for me begging for lessons on Pureblood society. Things that being muggle-born, I had missed out on.

_"Fine. What are the terms?"_ I prayed that they wouldn't be too bad on the off-chance that we ended up losing.

_"If your bloody Gryffindors win, I'll agree to give you those lessons you are begging for."_ Not unreasonable so far. _"But if Slytherin wins, you have to do something of my later choosing. Do we have a wager?"_ How I wish I could have wiped that smug look off of his face in that moment.

_"Fine, deal."_  
  


**_And like an idiot, I forgot how tricky those Slytherins can truly be…_ **  
  


_"Gryffindor wins!"_ Thank Merlin! Lucius didn't look happy about losing though.

_"A bet's a bet. You won so we'll start tomorrow. After dinner, meet me in front of the library. Don't be late."_ As he stormed away, I almost missed the calculating look in his eyes that didn't bode well for me.

  
  


**_If only I knew then that he planned to change the agreement…_ **

  
  


_"Right on time. First lesson, Melody Evans, early is on time and on time is late. Now follow me."_ I rolled my eyes but followed anyway. He led us to the back corner of the library and opened a door that I never knew was there. _"Only Slytherins know about this room. Tell anyone, and I will know."_

_"Okay?"_ I didn't really have anyone to tell anyway.

_"Before we begin, I would like to discuss payment."_ And there was the catch. Of course, it was never going to be as simple as winning a bet.

_"Fine, what do you want? I don't exactly have money."_ He chuckled and I knew I was going to be way over my head.

_"I'm not after money. I have more than enough of that. What I want is much more personal."_ He let his eyes wander over my body while he spoke and I didn't need him to confirm what the look already did. _"I've heard you don't mind a casual hook-up, is this true?"_ He smirked at me like he expected me to deny the fact, but I wasn't backing down.

_"Okay. But it stays between us. I don't need your housemates thinking I'm fair game. I do have standards."_ I sat down on one of the sofas across from Malfoy while I spoke.

_"Of course. Let's begin."_  
  


**_We spent the following two weeks meeting every night after dinner and I was proud of how quickly I was able to pick things up. I had almost forgotten about the other half of our arrangement… Almost._ **

  
  


_"You have been doing well, Evans. I will admit I'm impressed."_ I smiled a bit at the small praise.

_"You are a good teacher."_ As soon as the tiny smile was replaced by the trademark Malfoy smirk, I knew where this was going.

_"I hope you haven't forgotten the other part of the agreement."_ No, but I wish he had. A deal's a deal though.

_"I haven't."_ I managed to hold his gaze and hide the small smile as he broke eye contact.

_"You can back out if you want to. We will end our lessons here and part ways, if you have changed your mind."_ **_At least he was a gentleman about it._ **

_"It's just sex. No feelings involved, right?"_ I felt stupid even asking that, but I wanted it to be absolutely clear.

_"Absolutely none. More like a business transaction."_ He reassured me and I felt a lot better about what I was doing.

_"Good. Then I'm still okay with continuing as we agreed upon."_ He seemed a little shocked, so I tried to flip the question onto him. _"Unless you are wanting to change the terms again?" He scoffed at that._

_"No!"_ He said a little too quickly and I raised a brow in question. As he coughed a bit, I started to think he might actually be nervous about this.

_"Okay? Well, our dorms are not going to work, for obvious reasons, so where do you want to do this?" The Room of Requirement could work if he doesn't have an idea._

_"There is a room attached to this one."_ He gestured to a door that I hadn't paid mind to until now.

_"Convenient."_ Neither of us made a move to go towards the room, but he seemed a lot more reluctant. Shoving down my hesitation, I decided to take the lead. Shrugging off my robes, I was left in my skirt and button-up dress shirt with my heels. Mentally, I was thankful that I had managed to match my undergarments for once. I started to work the first few buttons open and slowly walked around the small table between us until I was directly in front of him. _"Still sure that this is the payment you want?"_ Gently gripping his chin, I forced him to meet my gaze.

_“Yes.”_ He breathed out and I smirked at his shocked expression while I pushed him back on the couch and straddled his lap. If the breath he sucked in wasn’t enough of an indicator, the hard bulge beneath me certainly was. While I had thought that with this being his suggestion, he would be more eager to engage but he was proving quite the opposite. _He’s almost acting like it was the first time he was being intimate with someone._ Wait…

_“Lucius, have you ever been with someone this intimately before?”_ I started playing with his hair to try and ease his nerves while I asked, and he avoided my gaze as he blushed deeply. _“Why me then? You could have any one of the pureblood witches in this school falling at your feet. So why me, when there is a whole school of other options?”_ Sliding one of my hands out of his hair, I cupped his jaw while using my thumb to lightly stroke his cheek.

_“May I be honest with you?”_ He asked, but still wouldn’t look at me.

_“What’s said here, stays here. Okay? I would prefer you being honest with me.”_ I smiled a little as he finally moved his hands to my waist and just played with the fabric of my shirt.

_“It’s a rather complicated part of being in the pureblood society. While the girls are expected to stay pure until at least their engagement, the men are expected to know how to satisfy their wives. Given the divide, there are only a few options that are left. While a few of the girls don’t care for keeping with the tradition, most of us choose to pursue a muggle-born witch to gain experience.”_ Not the answer I expected, but it gives clarity to his nervousness.

_“Okay. So you chose me because?”_

_“The short answer is because even with my reputation of anger issues, and my family’s views, you seemed to not care or be afraid to go toe-to-toe when I’m at my worst.” Well, okay then._ Definitely not what I thought he would say.

_"And the long answer?"_ He heaved a sigh and for a split second I regretted asking, but he answered anyway.

_"It's going to sound stupid…"_ He paused to try and collect his thoughts before continuing. _"I chose you because I felt like, at least on some level, that we had a connection of some kind. I felt like I could trust you, so when you came to me asking for these lessons it gave me a way to broach the subject since I didn’t know how you would have reacted otherwise.”_

_“Hey.”_ He finally met my gaze and the nerves, slight embarrassment, and fear were reflected in his eyes. _“Lucius, it is okay. It’s obvious that this is a big deal to you, and I feel honored that you felt comfortable enough to choose me. While I wish you would have just talked to me about it, I understand why you did it this way and I’m not upset or anything.”_ His shoulders sagged a bit and laid his head on my shoulder. _“We’ll take this at whatever pace you feel comfortable with, okay? If you don’t want to go further today, that is okay.”_

_“Thank you.”_ I kissed the top of his head as he moved his arms around me. And for a while, we stayed just like that. Letting ourselves learn to relax in this change. 

_“You okay?”_ I finally broke the long silence, but neither of us pulled away.

_“Yeah.”_ He pulled back a little and there was this little flash of something in his eyes, but it was gone as quick as it appeared. _“Can I try something?”_

Figuring what he was asking for, I nodded and waited for him to make the first move this time. As he slowly ran a hand up my side, I had to suppress a shudder and stop myself from leaning in. When he did eventually lean in to kiss me, I was practically vibrating with the anticipation he built up. For someone who said they didn't have sexual experience, damn was he a good kisser. His hand on my hip tightened its hold and I had to force my body to refrain from rolling my hips in response to his growing bulge. Unconsciously, my hand released its hold on his hair and moved down his chest before starting on the first couple of buttons on his shirt. About the third or fourth button, he pulled back to look at me but didn't loosen his hold on my body or move to stop my movements.

_"Too much?"_ I couldn't help the concern and fear that I may have accidentally pushed a little too far.

_"Not at all. I was merely thinking that maybe this would be more comfortable in a bed rather than the couch."_ There was no trace of his usual arrogant attitude as he spoke, and I realized this was the Lucius that allowed himself to be vulnerable. I couldn't help the small smile that pulled at the corners of my mouth. He slowly worked his hands under the hem of my shirt before stopping his movements again and I knew he was getting too caught up in his thoughts.

_“Lucius, if you are still uncomfortable with this then please don’t feel like you have to force yourself to do anything. You said you trusted me enough to choose me, do you trust me enough to let me guide you in this?”_ The struggle was clear in his eyes as he tried to bring himself to relinquish control over something this intimately in his life. Eventually, I felt him tighten his hold on my waist as he let out the breath he was holding and nodded.

_“Okay.”_ Slowly I saw his resolve settle with each breath he took.

_“Do you want to try and move further or would you rather wait for a different day? It’s up to you.”_ I knew that even if he did want to progress this any further, we still weren’t going to get much further than maybe taking my clothes off. He didn’t seem as hesitant to let his hands wander over my clothed body, but once he touched my bare skin he lost all nerve.

_“Can we just see where it goes?"_ The silent plea in his eyes made me pause for a moment before I gave in to the request.

_"If I start to sense that at any time you're starting to detach emotionally, I will put a full stop to whatever we're doing okay? You are putting your trust in me, and I take that seriously. Given my own personal inclinations, trust is a big part of what I do and I will make sure that anything we do is within safe parameters."_ That seemed to catch his attention as he connected what I was leaving out.

_"You're a dominatrix?"_ I couldn't help the roll of my eyes until I realized he knew what I was talking about and called it the correct term.

_"Not completely. I'm a switch. Do you know what that means?" Maybe he knew more about that life than I was giving him credit for._

_"That's when you prefer to dominate and submit depending on the person or situation, right?" Well, colour me impressed!_

_"Yes. How much do you actually know about the D/S life?" Is this something he had even considered or just something that he heard?_

_“Um, not much. That’s basically it, honestly. But I wouldn’t mind learning more, potentially, that is if you would be willing to teach me.”_ Now that changes things. A Lot.

_“While I would be happy to teach you, it does change how we approach this. My standard practice usually involves a contract for clarification purposes, but we would need to have a very thorough conversation before that would happen. However, I can answer any questions that you may have prior to that discussion to see if that is something you want to actually participate in. Knowing how you are, I can guess that you’ll more than likely be a Dominant, but all good Doms have trained as Submissives first.”_ With the look he gave me, I knew I had better change the subject for now. _“But that’s a conversation for a different time. I believe we were discussing the current apprehension you were having.”_

_“Was it that obvious?”_ I fought back a chuckle as he shook his head and heaved a breath.

_“For a trained eye, yes. But, I’ve trained enough people on both sides to know the signs that most people don’t even realize that they show.”_ He blushed and tried to avoid my eyes, making me force his jaw up as his eyes snapped to mine in surprise. _“You don’t have to hide or be embarrassed. I’m not ever going to judge you or make you feel bad about not knowing what you’re doing. Once upon a time, I didn’t know anything either. If it wasn’t for the club that I found during one of our school holidays last year, I would still be the invisible girl that took the abuse from the rest of the school.”_

_“So, that’s why you came back from the Christmas holiday looking like a model?”_ He asked, sounding in awe while I scoffed.

_“I didn’t think I looked that bad before, thank you very much. All I did was start wearing tighter fitting clothes. The club just gave me the confidence to show my body in more flattering ways. My Dom at the time did wonders for my self-esteem, though my first Sub was an absolute sweetheart and I still keep in touch with him on holidays when I get in the mood.”_ Theo was such a wonderful person in spite of that mark on his arm. I should probably owl him after the end of the year to see if he is busy over the summer holiday. _“We’re getting off-topic again, but it seems like you’re more interested in just talking than what we were doing before.”_

_“I guess we have, but I can’t say I mind. This may be a bit forward, but you could stay the night here… With me.” I mean, that didn’t sound too bad._

_“I would like that, but I’ll forewarn you now. I don’t sleep in clothing. It feels much too restrictive to me, so I prefer to not wear any while I sleep.”_ I couldn’t hold back my laugh this time at his shocked expression. _“Relax, Luc. Like I said before, we don’t have to do anything. Besides, this could be a good way to help ease you into things without it having to be sexual.”_

_“I guess I’ll follow your lead on this then. Shall we adjourn for the night then?”_ Always so formal. Hopefully, this will get him to loosen up more.

_“Lead the way.”_ I tried to climb off his lap to let him get up, but I was pleasantly surprised as he moved his hands to support my weight while he stood up and walked us to a very obviously Slytherin bedroom that was dripping in emerald green with silver accents. As he set me down on the end of the bed, I noticed an ornate cabinet sitting off to one corner of the room and I couldn’t help the growing curiosity as I wondered what it could possibly hold since it looked like the same cabinets that the club used.

_“I’m going to go shower before turning in.”_ While I registered what he said with an okay, I couldn’t manage to tear my eyes away from the familiar cabinet, and as the door clicked and the sound of running water filled the quiet of the room my body moved of its own accord. With each step I took towards it, the details carved into the wood matched more and more. Finally pulling open the doors, I saw the all too familiar tools of the trade.

On one side were shelves of different cuffs, candles, spreader bars, toys, and various bottles of potions, salves, and creams for aftercare. The other side had hooks with paddles, whips, floggers, chains, and ropes hanging from them. I had to hold back a squeal of glee as I thought of all the possibilities that the contents held. So many delicious fantasies danced around in my head. All too soon, I heard the water shut off and I rushed to put the items back and ran back to the bed just as the door opened.

_"Everything okay?"_ He asked with a raised brow as I tried to catch my breath after processing that he was standing there in only a towel. _“Why are you out of breath?”_

_“No reason. Mind if I grab a quick shower?”_ I need to get the images and thoughts out of my head that were running rampant as they combined with the ones created by the items in that cabinet. Let’s just hope that a very cold shower will help to cool the fire running through my veins.

_“Sure?”_ That was all I needed and I rushed into the bathroom and almost slammed the door closed behind me. Quickly throwing my clothes off my body, I heaved in a few deep breaths as I stood beneath the icy spray but even that didn’t provide any relief. Sighing, I stared at the ceiling debating if I could manage to stay quiet long enough to work my frustrations out. Shaking the thought from my head, I tried to get my thoughts to focus and just let my hands wander my body. I bit my lip to stifle a moan while I pulled and rolled my nipples before sliding one hand lower as it followed the trail of the water running down my body. As my little fantasy gained a mind of its own, I started rubbing circles on my sensitive bud, gasping at finally getting some kind of stimulation where I needed it most. Slowly speeding up my movements, I couldn’t help the moaned whimper that left my mouth.

What started as images of my sweet Theo on his knees morphed into visions of Lucius Malfoy in his place begging for punishment. Soon the scene changed again to the roles being swapped as Lucius rained hit after delicious hit of the flogger on my arse before throwing the implement away and slamming into my dripping cunt in one swift thrust. My fingers tried to keep the same punishing pace that the fantasy set, but tonight they just couldn’t compete with the fullness that a hard cock can give. I tried to chase my high, but I eventually huffed in defeat as I gave up. Clearly, I wasn’t going to be able to finish without any sort of penetration and Lucius was in no shape to try and help with my problem.

As I turned the water to a warmer temperature, I tried to force my thoughts to focus on anticipating the questions that Lucius could possibly ask. By the time the suds were rinsed from my hair and body, I felt a little more relaxed about the coming conversation. By the time I had gotten out and dried off, I had thought over every possible question that a newcomer at the club would think to ask and as I tried my hair back I felt confident that I could provide enough answers to satisfy his curiosity for the night. By the time I finally emerged from the bathroom, Lucius was already comfortable under the covers and was reading a book. I couldn’t contain the chuckle that left me as I looked at the title. 

_“Bondage for Beginners. Interesting title for a late-night read.”_ He quickly dropped the book like it had burned him as he stuttered some excuse. _“Chill, I’m just teasing. I actually read the same book when I was researching before I found the club. Granted I had someone who had spent a lot more time in this than I have, it’s a lot better with the magic. Makes suspension a lot easier as well.”_ I smirked as he blushed a deep crimson at my blaisè statement.

_“I thought I would read it to try to cut down some of the questions I had ahead of time. I- "_ His voice abruptly cut off as I laid my clothes on the bench at the end of the bed.

_“See something you like?”_ The smugness was evident in my tone as I watched him swallow thickly before answering as his eyes wandered over my nude form.

_“I, um, what was it you asked.”_ At least I know it is possible to render him speechless, who knew that included taking my robe off? As I moved to pull the covers back and slide in next to him, I rolled my eyes as he followed every movement my body made until he was snapped back to his senses as I settled in and pulled the silky sheets up to cover my body.

_“I was going to ask if you had any questions from what you’ve read so far or any that were from before. And no question is too weird or out of bounds. I’m an open book for the curious mind.”_ Honestly, after everything being both a Sub and a Dom involves, I have lost the shyness of talking about anything involving sex. Shyness and BDSM don’t mix and can be very dangerous if not corrected quickly enough.

_“Well, I did have one question from flipping through the book briefly. It mentioned something about creating patterns with the ropes. I’ll admit, I’m intrigued by the process.” Ah, this is definitely going to be a fun time if he decided to accept the contract._ While I thoroughly enjoyed being tied up, Theo was the complete opposite in that if a rope was used for anything more than tying him to the bed he would freak out. _“Is it actually as pleasurable as the description makes it sound?”_

_“Personally, my answer is absolutely. Some say otherwise, but I love it. When done properly, I find it completely erotic.”_ As my growing arousal dribbled down my thighs at the phantom sensations, I had an idea. _“I could walk you through a beginners demonstration if you would like? After we get through the rest of the questions that you have, of course.”_ There was a flash of hesitation in his eyes before the curiosity won out.

_“Which one of us would be –?”_ He let the question trail off as the uncertainty returned to his face and I tried to calm his nerves.

_“That can be up to you. This is about you, and I’m comfortable either way. If we get to the end of the questions and you decide that it isn’t something that interests you, then we don’t have to mention anything more.”_

_“Okay. My next question was a little more personal if that is okay? I was just curious about how you got into this. Did you just know?” Now that is a long story…_

_“Well, like you had said before I don’t mind a casual hook-up but I knew there was just_ something _that was missing. Sure they were pleasurable experiences, it was more like I was missing that little something that could take things from good to great. I had read about the lifestyle in some books before I stumbled across a card tucked into a book that was the club. As bizarre as it sounds, I felt this pull that was compelling me to go at least once. It took a few days for me to work up the nerve to actually go into the building, but I had the chance to talk with the owners of the club about how I was feeling and get some questions answered.”_ Bless their wonderful souls for being so patient with my rambling.

_“It’s actually a couple that owns it and they took me under their wing as I learned more, something about knowing just what I needed, and the gentleman was kind enough to offer to train me himself. Our contract didn’t last as long as most normally do though, but with my prior research and ability to pick things up quickly, and once he deemed me ready we parted after two months' time. After that, I would just visit the club and chat with the other patrons or enjoy a few sessions with other Doms. One of the last ones I was with asked if we could try swapping our roles since he was a switch as well. There was a little bit of awkwardness at first because I hadn’t been a Dominant before he asked, but he was patient with me and walked me through what he liked as a sub and soon enough we fell into a rhythm and decided that moving forward that would be how our sessions were. While we never had an official contract because of our schedules, I’m still quite fond of him and we try to meet up at least once during holidays. I consider him a good friend at this point, in spite of that stupid mark on his arm.”_ That seemed to catch his attention and I felt my cheeks instantly flush as I realized just what I had said.

_“What was his name?”_ Lucius growled out as his eyes flashed with anger when I shook my head.

_“Club rules, all members sign a non-disclosure agreement. I can’t disclose his identity unless he has given his express permission. Like I said, trust is a big part of this world and I will not break the trust I have earned.”_ I snipped out which only seemed to confuse him instead of quelling the angry response.

_“You’re serious?” Really?_

_“How would you feel if I was to go around saying that you were interested in BDSM? Some people value their privacy, and I thought you of all people would know that that is something I would never betray. I told you that anything you told me was confidential. I hold all of my partners in the same regard, and I would like for you to respect that.” If he can’t then I will just have to pass on training him._

_“Apologies, I clearly overstepped. It’s comforting that you are so quick to curb that kind of questioning, at least.”_ My brow quirked up at him as he spoke.

_“If we continue this to the point of having a real contract, that kind of question earns a punishment. I just want to make it abundantly clear that I won’t tolerate that sort of thing.”_ My Dominatrix voice was starting to slip through as I spoke, and I smirked with pride as his eyes darkened at the threat. _Good to know he’s at least responsive to it to some extent._

_“What are your usual punishments?”_ His voice seemed to deepen to a husky timber as he spoke.

_“It varies from sub to sub, but my most popular ones are spanking, either with my hand or a paddle, or flogging.”_ I had to hold back a chuckle as he failed to suppress a shudder at my words. _“You seem to like the idea. Do you want to be punished, Lucius?”_

_“Oh gods, yes.”_ He breathed out, and a seductive laugh passed my lips as his eyes widened at how desperate his own voice sounded. Maybe this will be simpler than I thought, if he is wanting a taste of punishment then who am I to deny his need?

_“How much have you researched? Do you know any of the correct positions for a submissive?”_ Let’s see just how much he knows before he gets in too deep.

_“I haven’t done as much as I’m sure you did, but there is one position that I know of?” Well, it's a start at least._

_“Show me, then tell me what it is called.”_ I commanded as I fully went into my Dom headspace and left the bed to go towards the cabinet and pull out a paddle and flogger before setting them on the small end table in the sitting area before turning to see Lucius incorrectly waiting in the Kneel position. _“Use your words, what is this position called?”_

_“Kneel?” At least he instinctively knew to avoid eye contact._

_“You may be kneeling, but no. Move your knees to a shoulder’s width apart, hands palm down on your thighs, and straighten your back. You may rest on your heels for the moment.”_ He tried to follow the instructions, but he seemed to still be a touch lost. _“Would it be easier for you to see the correct way as opposed to verbal instruction?”_

_“Please?”_ He still didn’t look up from the floor and I smiled as he allowed himself to just go with what his body was telling him to do.

_“You may watch me, and it's good that your automatic response is to not look at me without permission. It takes some subs a few weeks to grasp that instinct and you did so immediately.”_ He seemed to enjoy my bit of praise as I sank into the all too familiar pose facing the cabinet so that he could see a side view of what Kneel should look like. _“Do you have any questions?”_

_“Is this correct now?”_ Turning to look at his now perfect stance, I beamed in pride as he quickly grasped the concept.

_“Very good, pet. Now, I’m going to teach you another pose before we go back to this one. The pose is called Inspect. Start with your feet a shoulder’s width apart, then place your hands behind your head.”_ I offered him a hand to get up as I spoke before demonstrating the pose myself.

_“Like this?”_ He was quick to move into the stance, and I was once again impressed by his quick grasp of the instructions.

_“Excellent. Now, back to Kneel.”_ He easily followed the command and settled flawlessly into the correct pose. _“Perfect! Well done! Last one before we move on, Inspect.”_ I again offered my hand to him and he took it as he silently complied. _“Outstanding. Are you feeling okay still?”_

_“Yes, Mi -”_ He paused as he tried to not let the term slip.

_“It’s okay to call me that. Now, do you know what safewords are?_ ” I asked as he shook his head before answering.

_“They’re code words used to determine a submissive’s comfortability with certain things.” So he actually did think this through before approaching me._

_“Good. Have you given any thought to your own or would you like to use the colour system?”_

_“The colour system works for me, Mistress.”_ He was certainly catching on much quicker than even I did.

_“And they are?"_

_"Green for good, Yellow for slow down, and Red for stop." He’s doing great so far._

_“And what colour are you right now?”_ Let’s test what he remembers.

_“Very green, Mistress.”_

_“Good. Shall we continue?”_ He enthusiastically nodded his head. _“Next lesson, when following a Dom in a social setting most prefer you to stay two steps behind and to the right or left of them. I prefer my subs to stand on the right though because I am right-handed and if I need to reach behind to you I will do so with my right hand.”_ He gave a silent nod of understanding. _“Ready?”_ I turned around and walked slowly to the sitting area and sat down on the sofa while he stood waiting for the next direction.

_“Good! Now the last position we will work on today is how you place yourself with the direction of Sit. As with everything so far, it may differ with a different Dom but for me you are to place yourself at my feet in a manner that is comfortable for you and you may lean against my legs if you would like." Taking note of his confused look, I quickly explained why I was still sitting. "This is one that I can't exactly demonstrate for you, but I can help direct you if that would help."_

_"Thank you."_ I gave a slight nod as he started to settle against my legs until he noticed the tools I had set on the table earlier.

_"Are you planning to use those?"_ While I may have not been able to see his face, I knew that tone well enough to know he was starting to feel uncomfortable.

_"I don't have to if you are uncertain about them. This is just supposed to be an introduction, and if you are still wanting a punishment. But we will take it slow and work up if or when you feel comfortable."_ He quietly sat and I grew concerned. _"What colour?"_

_"Green, but give me a minute to process please."_ His hesitation was obvious in his tone.

_"Okay."_ Slowly I brought my hand to play with his hair and felt him let out a breath and further relaxed against me, but there was still a bit of tension in his shoulders that I didn't like. _"Let's just put this on pause for a while okay? Come lay next to me and put your head in my lap."_ Thankfully, he didn't argue and did as I asked. _"What's going on in that head of yours?"_

_"I'm just - I -"_ He tried to start, but let out a sigh before trying again. _"Honestly, I'm confused."_

_"Then let's talk it out. What are you confused about?"_ I asked calmly as I magicked the items back to the cabinet knowing that I can't allow things to progress that far tonight.

_"I guess I'm confused because my head and my heart are feeling two separate things. You know I was brought up to think men were superior and were supposed to have power over every aspect of our lives, and until now I never questioned that. I still don't exactly have control over my own life because of Pureblood expectations, but the rest of me longs to willingly surrender the one part of my life that I do have control over. I liked what we were doing, but there was a small part of me that panicked when I saw the paddle and flogger on the table." Makes sense for someone almost brand new to this life. "It brought up some painful memories that I had tried to repress and it freaked me out a bit."_ My body instantly ran cold at the quiet confession. _Way to go, idiot!_ I didn't even realize that my eyes had welled up until I felt his hand on mine and I quickly wiped them away.

_"Luc, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I made a rookie mistake and I apologize. I shouldn't have let us get this far without the proper discussions beforehand."_ _Bloody hell! Why did he have to have such an effect on me that I completely forgot all of my training and self-restraint? Maybe I should just introduce him to someone from the club who won't fuck it up from too much emotional chemistry._

_"Don't blame yourself, love. It's as much my fault for not saying anything before either. You told me numerous times, and asked just as many times, if I was okay with the direction we were going. I didn't think I was going to have an issue with anything until I saw the items with my own eyes."_ _Why is he trying to reassure me right now? He's not supposed to be comforting me for my mistake._ I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to realize he had sat up until he pulled me to straddle his waist. _"Melody, you know I don't like talking about anything."_

_"Lucius, do you not realize that I could have done you serious harm if I didn't recognize that you were starting to mentally detach and were upset? If you had been with someone any less experience than I have, you could have been seriously hurt. This is why there are contracts in place before there's this much progression! Merlin, I let my emotions get the better of me and let things get too far out of hand. If we had been at the club, I would have had my membership suspended for this!" Gods, now I really feel like making the trip there. I need the release of a good punishment, but most of the guys here are too scared to dish one out._

" _Melody Coralynn Evans, take a second to breathe before you start hyperventilating. Clearly, we both made mistakes, but_ you _were the one to recognize what was wrong and stopped it before we went any further. I'm not upset or mad at you, okay? If anything this just shows that I picked the right person to talk to about this." Why does he have to be so bloody understanding?_

_"I still feel like I should have paid more attention to how you were reacting. I should have handled myself and the situation better, and I can't express how deeply sorry I am." Fuck, I need to calm down before I drop into sub-space in front of him. He is not equipped to handle that. Maybe if I owl the owners, they can get a portkey sent to a trusted person in Hogsmeade and I can go when we have our next visit._

_"Let's just turn in for the night. We're both not in the right headspace and some rest may do us both some good."_ He said and all I could muster was a small nod as my guilt set like a boulder on my heart. _“We can talk more in the morning once we have both had a chance to collect ourselves.”_ No longer having the energy to reply, I simply let him carry me back to the bed and tuck us in. As his breathing evened out while we cuddled, my guilt ran rampant until I eventually fell into a fitful slumber.


End file.
